The Art of War (new version) summary

Let’s start by putting The Art of War and its author into context by rewinding 2,500 years. It’s the fifth century BCE, a period marred by battles between different warring states in China. Among those leading and advising in these battles was Sun Tzu – and he was winning a lot. 

He was a Chinese general, military strategist, and writer – and all of his victories inspired his military treatise. Yes, this is a book about war. But you’ll find that the ideas in it focus more on alternatives to actual fighting – like submission (if only temporary). 

The book has 13 chapters, each with a lot of bullet points rather than prose about war tactics. You’ve already gotten a huge spoiler, which is that you should “pick your battles” – and that a war is best won without any fighting at all.

But before we dive into this, let’s touch on the 13 chapters. They’re about making plans, the economy of warfare, the five pillars of a strong united front, the importance of defending your position, how to use creativity on the field, how to quickly respond to changes, the dangers of direct conflict, the need for flexibility, evaluating the intention of others, the three areas of resistance, the nine stages of a campaign, how to employ weapons correctly, and utilizing good information. 

A lot of the material has to do with using the landscape and your army’s resources to your advantage. If you want the details of each, we recommend you get the book and read it. But if you want to learn how to be a good leader based on this book, stay with us.